Published: Saturday, March 15, 2014 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, March 14, 2014 at 11:11 p.m.

MILLS RIVER — A move to Kentucky and now a new home in South Carolina couldn't keep Ethan Ham away from his beloved Mills River Boy Scouts troop.

After growing up in Mills River and moving away, Ethan now commutes to his Scout meetings from South Carolina, refusing to leave the tight-knit brotherhood formed with his fellow Scouts.

He first joined as a Cub Scout in 2006 and stayed with his troop once he became a Boy Scout in 2010. But in 2011, his father, Kelvin Ham, was asked to move to Kentucky for his job.

"They're really a tight-knit little group," Ethan's mother, Beverly Ham said. "The boys have kept in touch even when Ethan was in Kentucky."

Ethan said that brotherhood helped him transition into life in Kentucky; he met other Scouts before kids in school.

"My company wanted me to move to New Hampshire (after two years in Kentucky) and we were like, 'no mas,' so we moved back," Kelvin Ham said. "The Scout master, Mr.Albea, is a lot of the reason we came back."

Kelvin Ham said Albea was looking to transition out of being a Scout master and asked Kelvin Ham if he would be interested in taking over.

"So then Ethan asked me if I would be their Scout master because I had been his Cub master all the way through Cub Scouts," Kelvin Ham said. "Even though we live in South Carolina, we thought it would be great to still be involved with the troop and he wanted to make Eagle with his troop."

Ethan said he stays in touch with the Scouts he met in Kentucky, but is glad to be back with his friends in Mills River.

"When I realized we were coming back, I was very excited to be back in this troop," he said.

Ethan's friendship with many of his troopmates goes all the way back to preschool.

"It was really a blessing for us to be able to move back and to be involved in this community," Kelvin Ham said. "Even though we live in South Carolina, we still go to church in Mills River and we still are involved in this Mills River troop, and he's made rank very quickly because he's so dedicated to Scouts."

Ethan made his Life Scout by age 12, which means he will be able to become an Eagle Scout by 13 — a rarity among Scouts.

Ethan, along with his troop, "hiked out" downtown Hendersonville last Saturday to distribute fliers to local business advertising the troop's upcoming food drive.

Troop 622 will be pick up non-perishable food items from various locations downtown and bring them in their packs to the Visitor's Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 29. The donations will go to Fishes and Loaves Food Pantry to benefit school-aged children in Henderson County.

Director of Fishes and Loaves Pantry in Etowah Albert Lyons said the Girls Scouts helped collect food for them last year, and now the Boy Scouts have been challenged to collect even more, as the need has increased.

"This is our third year of this program to stomp hunger out among the kids during the times they are out of school," Lyons said. "There's a lot of demand out there for children right now."

<p>MILLS RIVER — A move to Kentucky and now a new home in South Carolina couldn't keep Ethan Ham away from his beloved Mills River Boy Scouts troop.</p><p>After growing up in Mills River and moving away, Ethan now commutes to his Scout meetings from South Carolina, refusing to leave the tight-knit brotherhood formed with his fellow Scouts.</p><p>He first joined as a Cub Scout in 2006 and stayed with his troop once he became a Boy Scout in 2010. But in 2011, his father, Kelvin Ham, was asked to move to Kentucky for his job.</p><p>"They're really a tight-knit little group," Ethan's mother, Beverly Ham said. "The boys have kept in touch even when Ethan was in Kentucky."</p><p>Ethan said that brotherhood helped him transition into life in Kentucky; he met other Scouts before kids in school.</p><p>"My company wanted me to move to New Hampshire (after two years in Kentucky) and we were like, 'no mas,' so we moved back," Kelvin Ham said. "The Scout master, Mr.Albea, is a lot of the reason we came back."</p><p>Kelvin Ham said Albea was looking to transition out of being a Scout master and asked Kelvin Ham if he would be interested in taking over.</p><p>"So then Ethan asked me if I would be their Scout master because I had been his Cub master all the way through Cub Scouts," Kelvin Ham said. "Even though we live in South Carolina, we thought it would be great to still be involved with the troop and he wanted to make Eagle with his troop."</p><p>Ethan said he stays in touch with the Scouts he met in Kentucky, but is glad to be back with his friends in Mills River.</p><p>"When I realized we were coming back, I was very excited to be back in this troop," he said.</p><p>Ethan's friendship with many of his troopmates goes all the way back to preschool.</p><p>"It was really a blessing for us to be able to move back and to be involved in this community," Kelvin Ham said. "Even though we live in South Carolina, we still go to church in Mills River and we still are involved in this Mills River troop, and he's made rank very quickly because he's so dedicated to Scouts."</p><p>Ethan made his Life Scout by age 12, which means he will be able to become an Eagle Scout by 13 — a rarity among Scouts.</p><p>Ethan, along with his troop, "hiked out" downtown Hendersonville last Saturday to distribute fliers to local business advertising the troop's upcoming food drive.</p><p>Troop 622 will be pick up non-perishable food items from various locations downtown and bring them in their packs to the Visitor's Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 29. The donations will go to Fishes and Loaves Food Pantry to benefit school-aged children in Henderson County.</p><p>Director of Fishes and Loaves Pantry in Etowah Albert Lyons said the Girls Scouts helped collect food for them last year, and now the Boy Scouts have been challenged to collect even more, as the need has increased.</p><p>"This is our third year of this program to stomp hunger out among the kids during the times they are out of school," Lyons said. "There's a lot of demand out there for children right now."</p><p>Reach Bindewald at 694-7890 or renee.bindewald@blueirdgenow.com.</p>